The TRIPP Corridor Threatens To Undermine Russia's Broader Regional Position The TRIPP Corridor Threatens To Undermine Russia's Broader Regional Position https://korybko.substack.com/p/the-tripp-corridor-threatens-to-undermine Armenia might defect from the CSTO while Turkish and NATO influence could surge all along Russia’s southern periphery, which might embolden Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan to defy Iran and Russia by building the Trans-Caspian Gas Pipeline if the West promises them Ukrainian-like military support... The American, Armenian, and Azerbaijani leaders jointly unveiled the “Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity” (TRIPP) during their meeting at the White House on Friday. Previously known as the “Trump Bridge” per related media reports, it’s essentially the US replacement of the corridor that Russia envisaged in the November 2020 ceasefire that it mediated between those two rivals. Here are five background briefings about how this threatens to undermine Russia’s broader regional position: * 1 July: “https://thealtworld.com/andrew_korybko/the-latest-trouble-in-russian-azerbaijani-relations-might-be-part-of-a-turkish-us-powerplay ” * 2 July: “https://korybko.substack.com/p/whyd-erdogan-decide-to-expand-turkiyes ” * 3 July: “https://korybko.substack.com/p/aliyev-expects-to-rise-to-global ” * 4 July: “https://korybko.substack.com/p/the-kremlin-believes-that-certain ” * 6 August: “https://korybko.substack.com/p/the-trump-bridge-could-lead-to-russias ” To summarize, the US’ replacement of Russia in what Azerbaijan had up until now called the Zangezur Corridor removes Moscow’s ability to monitor Turkish arms exports to Central Asia, which could turbocharge its influence among Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan with time. Those two are part of the Russian-led CSTO and the Turkish-led “Organization of Turkic States” (OTS), and it’s possible that the OTS might one day assume CSTO-like security functions that lead to those two’s defection from the CSTO. The US would encourage that as a means of completing its long-attempted encirclement of Russia. Moreover, the thaw in Armenian-Azerbaijani and correspondingly also Armenian-Turkish tensions could justify Yerevan’s official withdrawal from the CSTO (it already suspended its membership), which could then quickly lead to it, Azerbaijan, and Kazakhstan working more closely with NATO. The https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/08/trump-says-lifting-restrictions-on-defense-cooperation-between-azerbaijan-and-us.html#:~:text=He%20said%20restrictions%20had%20also%20been%20lifted%20on%20defense%20cooperation%20between%C2%A0Azerbaijan%C2%A0and%20the%20United%20States.  of US legislative restrictions on military cooperation with Azerbaijan might make this a fait accompli. These likely outcomes – the expansion of Turkish/OTS influence into Central Asia via TRIPP, Armenia’s official defection from the CSTO, and more US-led NATO influence all along Russia’s southern periphery – would already pose a formidable enough challenge to Russia’s broader regional position. It might get even worse though if the aforesaid scenario sequence emboldens Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan (at the US and Turkiye’s urging) to unilaterally construct the long-discussed https://www.imemo.ru/en/publications/periodical/meimo/archive/2019/8-t-63/economy-economic-theory/prospects-of-trans-caspian-gas-pipeline . The West has hitherto been unable to tap Turkmenistan’s https://www.worldbank.org/en/country/turkmenistan/overview#:~:text=It%20is%20one%20of%20the%20world%E2%80%99s%20top%20exporters%20of%20natural%20gas%2C%20possessing%20the%20fourth%2Dlargest%20proven%20natural%20gas%20reserves%20and%20the%2044th%20largest%20proven%20oil%20reserves%20globally.  on environmental grounds (but which cynics suspect is meant to keep a major rival out of the global market). Even so, US and Turkiye might think that https://thealtworld.com/andrew_korybko/five-reasons-why-iran-israel-agreed-to-a-ceasefire  are weaker than ever, thus gambling that they can get them to agree under the threat of backing Azerbaijan with Ukrainian-like military support if war breaks out. To be clear, neither Azerbaijan nor Turkmenistan has hinted at plans to violate the 2018 Caspian Sea Convention for regulating all five littoral states’ activities in this body of water, but the scenario can’t confidently be ruled out by Russian policymakers given their historic distrust of the West. It’s unclear what they might do to preempt this latent threat to their country’s broader regional position, both the Caspian Conflict scenario and everything that could precede it, but they’re unlikely to take it lying down. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/09/2025 - 23:20 https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/tripp-corridor-threatens-undermine-russias-broader-regional-position

Vacuuming, Mopping, Mowing: The Household Robots Are Coming Vacuuming, Mopping, Mowing: The Household Robots Are Coming According to https://www.statista.com/outlook/tmo/robotics/service-robotics/worldwide global revenue of service robots for domestic tasks is set to nearly double from $13.5 billion in 2021 to $22.8 billion in 2027. Meanwhile, the total number of consumer service robots worldwide will reach 39.7 million in 2025, rising to more than 50 million by 2027. https://www.statista.com/chart/9089/worldwide-personal-robot-sales-forecast/ You will find more infographics at https://www.statista.com/chartoftheday/ A consumer service robot here includes a robot designed for personal or household use, such as robot vacuum cleaners, robotic toys and even drones. Population aging is one of the factors contributing to the need for more assistive robots, having led to the development of robotics solutions for elderly care, whether that’s for mobility assistance to help with daily tasks or as social robots for companionship. This is the case in Japan, where strict labor laws and cultural acceptance of technology have created a good environment for the adoption of service robots in various industries, such as hospitality and retail. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/09/2025 - 22:45 https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/vacuuming-mopping-mowing-household-robots-are-coming

American AI Companies Open Up To Counter China American AI Companies Open Up To Counter China https://www.theepochtimes.com/tech/american-ai-companies-open-up-to-counter-china-5898065 (emphasis ours), OpenAI on Aug. 5 https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-oss/ two open-weight language models, the company’s first such release since GPT-2 in 2019. Open-weight models make their training parameters, or weights, publicly available but tend not to provide access to the source code or datasets. Open-source models typically include access to the source code, weights, and methodologies. With weights publicly accessible, developers can analyze and fine-tune a model for specific tasks without requiring original training data. The weights for the new gpt-oss-120b and gpt-oss-20b models are free to https://huggingface.co/openai/gpt-oss-120b for developers to fine-tune and deploy in their own environments, OpenAI said. “These open models also lower barriers for emerging markets, resource-constrained sectors, and smaller organizations that may lack the budget or flexibility to adopt proprietary models,” OpenAI said in an Aug. 5 https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-oss/ . “Broad access to these capable open-weights models created in the US helps expand democratic AI rails.” Amazon https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/aws/openai-models-amazon-bedrock-sagemaker on Aug. 6 that OpenAI’s open-weight models are now available on its Bedrock generative AI marketplace in Amazon Web Services. It marks the first time an OpenAI model has been offered on Bedrock, Amazon said in a statement. In May, Meta https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/red-hat-and-meta-collaborate-advance-open-source-ai-enterprise a collaboration with Red Hat to advance open-source AI for enterprise. American AI companies and the Trump https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/us-issues-huawei-chips-warning-signaling-new-ai-diffusion-rule-5857677 have been in broad agreement about the need for the United States to dominate the AI space, which requires the wide adoption of the American AI stack, including the hardware, models, software, applications, and standards. On July 23, the White House released its AI action https://www.ai.gov/ , which involves removing barriers for companies to accelerate innovation and build out infrastructure, along with using diplomacy to set AI standards internationally. Chinese AI companies currently dominate the open-source space. Republican senators https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/senators-ask-commerce-secretary-to-investigate-deepseeks-ties-to-china-5897524 . Huawei founder Ren Zhengfei told Chinese state-run media in June that Chinese AI development will include “thousands upon thousands of open-source software.” Chinese state-run media Global Times on Aug. 7 published an editorial opining that US efforts to curb China’s AI strategy would fail, as “China has embraced an open-source approach” to meet its vast needs. Beginning in the https://merics.org/en/report/china-bets-open-source-technologies-boost-domestic-innovation , the Chinese communist regime built open-source software alliances and directed its tech sector to enter the open-source community with the goal of reducing dependency on American proprietary software. Over time, China has moved from consumer to contributor. According to a 2024 report by GitHub, China was the https://github.blog/news-insights/octoverse/octoverse-2024/ biggest contributor of open source software on the platform. Though it is still far from leading in AI globally, it maintains a strong presence in AI open-source software. Among the concerns about Chinese-run AI models are data harvesting, including for espionage purposes, and a lack of https://blogs.cisco.com/security/evaluating-security-risk-in-deepseek-and-other-frontier-reasoning-models , which could allow for malware dissemination or the generation of harmful content. OpenAI notes that once an open-weight model is released, “adversaries may be able to fine-tune the model for malicious purposes.” To counter this, it fine-tuned the two new models “on specialized biology and cybersecurity data, creating a domain-specific non-refusing version for each domain the way an attacker might” and tested the models to see if they would continue to operate within safety guardrails. “These processes mark a meaningful advancement for open model safety,” OpenAI stated. The company is also https://www.kaggle.com/competitions/openai-gpt-oss-20b-red-teaming/ third parties to find and report novel safety issues in its models for a chance to win a $500,000 prize. Vetting Software for Security Chris Gogoel, vice president and public sector general manager at mobile app security firm Quokka, says the proliferation of AI apps, especially AI assistant apps, has increased security risks for users exponentially. It used to be that users would rely on different apps for different functions, segmenting the data collected and permissions given, but AI apps tend to be “do-everything” apps, Gogoel told The Epoch Times. That elevated data collection translates into more inherent risk, he said. The data collected can also be more sensitive because users may be feeding the apps long passages or instructions revealing in-depth thoughts, intentions, and rationale, rather than simply having access to raw files. With more data collected, the apps could be bigger targets of a potential breach to extract the data over a network or from a device. The bigger risk is if these apps come from sources that have not been proven to be secure. OpenAI has adopted an approach that values security, but there are plenty of other unvetted AI apps that have been downloaded millions of times, Gogoel said. “‘What are these applications doing with our data?’ is a very serious question,” Gogoel added. “The verification of what happens with that data, and where it goes, how it’s protected, becomes even more important, because if that data is misused, on accident or on purpose, you have a serious, serious problem,” he said, pointing to abuse of data being used to create deepfakes and phishing attacks. Gogoel notes that the declarations a developer makes about what data their app collects may not be what the app does. Sometimes, the developer might not know this is the case as they are often trying to jump on trends and launch apps in time to rise in the rankings, leading to mistakes like not using proper encryption, he said. They may fail to invest in security, perhaps using open-source software that contains flaws. App stores do not currently require verification of a developer’s declarations, and Gogoel advocates moving to a verify-first approach. One bad app can spoil the bunch, he said. Quokka, which began working with the Pentagon around its founding in 2011, provides mobile vetting services to the federal government and other clients, which led the firm to https://www.quokka.io/blog/the-security-risks-inherent-in-the-tiktok-app TikTok and ByteDance in 2018. It found that TikTok not only requested ample permissions, but it would also connect with other apps on a user’s device to obtain permissions the user did not explicitly give. So, data collected by trusted applications for legitimate purposes may still present security risks if they come in contact with unvetted apps. “It’s not something that we should be looking back after something has exploded and the fire is already raging, so to speak, and there’s tens of millions of users. We’re trying to enable, in our work, the ability to verify at every step,” Gogoel said. “Verify as soon as something hits the store, as soon as something hits your device, as soon as this brand new service comes out ... that it does what it says on the tin and nothing else.” https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/09/2025 - 22:10 https://www.zerohedge.com/ai/american-ai-companies-open-counter-china

These Are The Biggest Threats To Teens' Mental Health These Are The Biggest Threats To Teens' Mental Health Concerns over teen mental health are growing, but how teens and parents view the root causes can differ significantly. This visualization, https://www.visualcapitalist.com/charted-the-biggest-threats-to-teens-mental-health/ compares their perspectives on what’s driving mental health issues among adolescents. Although both groups identify social media as the biggest concern, teens are more likely than parents to cite bullying and academic pressure. The chart highlights where their views align—and where they diverge. The data for this visualization comes from the https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2025/04/22/teens-social-media-and-mental-health/ . Social Media Tops Both Lists Social media is the #1 concern for both groups, though the degree of concern differs. While 44% of parents name social media as the top threat, just 22% of teens do the same. In fact, a majority of teens see social media as a positive space for friendships and creativity: 74% of teens say these platforms make them feel more connected to their friends, and 63% say they give them a place to show off their creative side. Teens More Worried About Bullying and Pressure Teens are more likely to mention bullying (17%) and pressure or expectations (16%) than their parents, who rank these lower at 9% and 8%, respectively. These stressors often originate in school environments and peer interactions, which parents may not fully perceive. Parents See Broader Threats, Teens Focus on School A small share of parents (5%) cite societal issues—like politics or culture—as threats. Meanwhile, teens are more likely to pinpoint school (5%) as a direct source of mental strain. If you enjoyed today’s post, check out https://www.voronoiapp.com/society/Social-Media-Especially-Harms-Girls-Sleep-and-Mental-Health-5652  on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/09/2025 - 21:35 https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/these-are-biggest-threats-teens-mental-health

Fermented Stevia Extract Kills Pancreatic Cancer Cells In Lab Tests Fermented Stevia Extract Kills Pancreatic Cancer Cells In Lab Tests https://www.theepochtimes.com/health/fermented-stevia-extract-kills-pancreatic-cancer-cells-in-lab-tests-5894284?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge&src_src=partner&src_cmp=ZeroHedge (emphasis ours), Hiroshima University researchers have found that fermented stevia extract may fight pancreatic cancer without harming healthy cells—potentially making it more than just a zero-calorie sugar substitute. Pancreatic cancer shows significant resistance to existing treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. “Globally, the incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer continue to rise, with a five-year survival rate of less than 10 percent,” study coauthor Narandalai Danshiitsoodol, associate professor at Hiroshima University, said in a press https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1091699 . There’s a growing need to find new, effective cancer-fighting compounds—especially those that come from medicinal plants, said Danshiitsoodol. Fermentation Unlocks Cancer-Fighting Power The study, recently https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/9/4186 in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, found that when stevia is fermented with a probiotic, the resulting extract kills pancreatic cancer cells while sparing healthy kidney cells. The fermented extract inhibited cancer growth but did not harm normal cells. The research team fermented stevia leaf extract using the probiotic https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11557752/ SN13T, a beneficial bacterium commonly found in fermented foods like sauerkraut, pickles, and kimchi. The researchers noted that fermenting the extract with bacteria can change its structure and produce beneficial compounds called bioactive metabolites. “To enhance the pharmacological efficacy of natural plant extracts, microbial biotransformation has emerged as an effective strategy,” Masanori Sugiyama, a professor of microbiology and biotechnology and coauthor of the study, said in a press statement. Sugiyama’s lab has studied more than 1,200 strains of bacteria from fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal plants, evaluating their health benefits. The results showed that the fermented stevia leaf extract (FSLE) was more effective at killing cancer cells than the nonfermented version. Sugiyama said that FSLE was also less harmful to the HEK-293 cells, which are human kidney cells used in the study. Even at the highest dose tested, FSLE caused minimal damage to these cells. This is important because conventional chemotherapy, such as cisplatin, can damage the kidneys—especially the left one, which is adjacent to the pancreas. Key Anticancer Agent Identified Further analysis identified a compound called chlorogenic acid methyl ester (CAME) as the key anticancer agent. Fermentation reduced the amount of chlorogenic acid—a precursor to CAME—in the extract by sixfold, a change caused by bacterial enzymes, according to Danshiitsoodol. “This microbial transformation was likely due to specific enzymes in the bacteria strain used,” she said. CAME was found to stop cancer cells from multiplying, trigger them to self-destruct, and change the expression of key genes so that cells are more likely to die. The experiments were conducted on cancer cells grown in laboratory dishes—not in living organisms. The researchers plan to conduct tests in mice to better understand how different doses of the fermented extract affect the entire body. They emphasized that their results help explain how probiotic bacteria can boost the anticancer effects of herbal medicines. Danshiitsoodol noted that the study significantly advances understanding of how the Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T strain works in fermenting herbal extracts, and it also offers insight into using probiotics as natural antitumor agents. Stevia Safety and Benefits Dr. Joseph Mercola, a board-certified family medicine physician not involved in the study, called the research “a powerful reminder” that plants like stevia offer more than just sweetness—they may deliver compounds that support long-term health. Mercola noted that stevia extract is a “far healthier” alternative to artificial sweeteners like aspartame, sucralose, or saccharin. “Unlike synthetic options that can disrupt gut bacteria or trigger metabolic changes, pure stevia extract—which has a glycemic index close to zero—has minimal to no impact on your blood sugar or insulin,” he added. However, he cautioned that sweeteners blended with stevia—such as those containing dextrose or maltodextrin—can raise blood sugar if taken in large amounts. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/09/2025 - 21:00 https://www.zerohedge.com/medical/fermented-stevia-extract-kills-pancreatic-cancer-cells-lab-tests

Battle Lines Are Drawn Over Partisan Redistricting - What To Know Battle Lines Are Drawn Over Partisan Redistricting - What To Know https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/battle-lines-are-drawn-over-partisan-redistricting-what-to-know-5898490?ea_src=frontpage&ea_med=homepage-v2-0 (emphasis ours), As state lawmakers in both parties ponder the possibility of increasing their share of seats in the House through redistricting, some have questioned the legality of the move. The current situation kicked off in June, after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called a special session of the Texas Legislature that would, among other goals, consider the prospect of https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/what-to-know-about-texas-gops-redistricting-plans-5892633 the state’s congressional seats to more heavily favor Republicans. President Donald Trump’s administration, through the Department of Justice (DOJ), has encouraged this redistricting, claiming that some of Texas’s districts are illegal under the Voting Rights Act, civil rights legislation designed to increase participation in federal elections and prevent discriminatory or race-based voting restrictions. Now, lawmakers in the blue states of New York, California, and Illinois are https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/newsom-other-blue-state-governors-mull-response-to-texas-redistricting-push-what-to-know-5893778 a response in kind to increase their own share of the House—while red states like Ohio, Florida, Indiana, and others are considering following Texas’s lead. But there are hurdles, both legal and political. Some Americans view the push as blatant partisan gerrymandering—and some legal experts think moving forward is a mistake. Here’s what to know about the legal basis of the redistricting pushes nationwide. Gerrymandering The issue has prompted many to claim that one or both parties is attempting to make partisan gains through a strategic redrawing of the congressional map—behavior known colloquially as “gerrymandering.” Often, districts are described as “gerrymandered” when they are in an odd or unusual shape that seems designed to ensure a particular outcome. The term originated in the United States in the early 19th century, and is derived from the name of former Massachusetts Gov. Elbridge Gerry’s salamander-shaped district. According to a 2022 poll by The Economist and YouGov, two-thirds of Americans considered gerrymandering to be a “major problem” in the United States, with only 23 percent describing it as a “minor problem.” However, the legality of such behavior is a different question. Constitutional Basis As a core constitutional question, redistricting in the middle of the decade is permitted under the law. In the Constitution’s so-called “Elections Clause,” state legislatures are given a degree of power over​​ “the Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives.” However, that clause also gives Congress the power to “at any time by Law make or alter such Regulations.” This is a power the Congress has exercised often, through legislation such as the Voting Rights Act and the National Voter Registration Act. But the states retain at least one major power over the process: the drawing of congressional maps. “Congress can set the time, place, and manner of elections, but as far as the districts themselves, those are drawn by the states,” Neama Rahmani, a lawyer who observes and commentates on national politics, told The Epoch Times. In short, while states do not get to choose the number of seats they claim in the House—these seats are awarded based on population—states do have the power to determine how their congressional seats are awarded, the shape of the congressional districts, and other factors related to the state’s House delegation. In some states, this power has been used for partisan purposes and handled by state legislatures, while other states rely on independent commissions or bipartisan districting processes. In 2006, the Supreme Court affirmed in League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) v. Perry that gerrymandering for partisan gain is not inherently unconstitutional or a violation of the Voting Rights Act. The issue at hand was Texas’s mid-decade redistricting carried out in 2003. The goal of that redistricting was to increase Republicans’ control of the House delegation. State-Level Challenges While the move may be technically legal under Supreme Court precedent, challenges remain, particularly on a state-by-state level. In Texas, where Republicans hope to add as many as five new seats, the Legislature is currently gridlocked after at least 51 Democrats https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/texas-democrats-leave-the-state-to-prevent-redistricting-vote-5896083 the state, depriving the Texas House of a quorum to move forward on the push. Rahmani said that this is likely only “delaying the inevitable” in Texas. If Texas does move forward, Rahmani said that it likely wouldn’t be impossible for Democrats to respond in kind, particularly in dark-blue states like California. California Gov. Gavin Newsom has said his team is looking at the possibility of changing the state’s maps—which are currently drawn by an independent commission—via a referendum of the people of California. The referendum would have voters accept or reject a redrawn map during the 2026 midterm elections, allowing the new map to go into effect in later elections. “California is a heavily blue state throwing a lot of money at this. You can win any ballot initiative here,” Rahmani said. Currently, Democrats control 43 of the Golden State’s 52 congressional seats. Other states considering redistricting could face similar hurdles—but ultimately, Rahmani said, none of these will be insurmountable if states are determined to move forward. In red states with legislatures and governors’ mansions controlled by the GOP, he said, “there’s nothing Democrats in the state can do to stop it.” Likewise, Rahmani said, “California can do the same, even if there is a law on the books that prohibits this. Those laws can be changed, and especially when you have the [ballot] initiative process.” Political Question With many Americans opposed to gerrymandering, and with potentially dire consequences for the political system and rule of law, experts say that the question isn’t just a legal one, but also a political one. Misha Tseytlin, a lawyer who specializes in political law, told The Epoch Times that in “some states the hurdles would be political, not legal. New York and California, for example, would require constitutional amendments adopted by the people of each state.” While these hurdles likely aren’t insurmountable, Rahmani said, “I don’t think it’s the right thing to do.” “It’s going to result in retaliation. It’s going to result in even more extreme candidates being elected to Congress, and gridlock in Congress, because all of a sudden you’re not going to have any purple districts. There’s going to be no more moderates,” Rahmani said. “So I think this is a bad idea politically, and it’s just going to result in retaliation on the other side.” Rahmani expressed particular concern about the prospect that Americans could lose faith in the political process if redistricting moves forward. “If people think that they’re not represented in Congress … it’s going to end up being a problem,” Rahmani said. Rep. Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.), considered a moderate in his purple New York district, has also expressed reservations about his party’s push in Texas and elsewhere. “I think it’s wrong, what Texas is doing,” he https://x.com/StudiGo_LLC/status/1952851152715850226 on CNN. “I don’t support it.” https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/09/2025 - 19:50 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/battle-lines-are-drawn-over-partisan-redistricting-what-know

Chaotic NYC 'Safe' Injection-Sites Put On Notice By Trump Chaotic NYC 'Safe' Injection-Sites Put On Notice By Trump Democrats fully own the crime and chaos plaguing major cities, after decades of failed progressive experiments that have only backfired spectacularly, transforming some parts of America's largest metropolitan areas into lawless, crime-ridden no-go zones.  There's an urgent need for course correction and to restore law and order in major cities run by rogue Democratic leaders whose failed social justice policies (influenced by leftist billionaires and their NGOs), like defunding the police and "safe" injection sites, have only fueled more crime, chaos, and disorder on the streets.  President Trump's "https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/ending-crime-and-disorder-on-americas-streets/ " executive order, issued late last month, has put these taxpayer-funded safe injection sites on notice. Safe injection sites, such as those run by nonprofit OnPoint NYC in East Harlem and Washington Heights, supervise illegal drug use under the guise of harm reduction. A clear legal precedent was set in 2019 under President Trump's first term via the Department of Justice that successfully blocked a proposed safe injection site in Philadelphia under the Controlled Substances Act. The Third Circuit upheld the decision, and the Supreme Court let it stand. That ruling could now be used against NYC's injection sites if the Manhattan U.S. Attorney chooses to follow Philadelphia's lead.  Trump's new order calls on the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to ensure that none of its "discretionary grants" indirectly fund such sites, which have been causing significant problems at the local level. https://nypost.com/2025/08/09/us-news/safe-injection-site-brings-daytime-public-sex-to-east-harlem-getting-my-own-porno-show/ released a new report that shows the chaos, madness, and violence outside OnPoint's East Harlem headquarters on a typical afternoon.  Some argue that safe injection sites in NYC don't address the root problem of addiction and continue exacerbating the drug crisis. "They're just delaying overdose deaths because they don't address the underlying pathological behavior, which is really injecting yourself with poison," said Charles Lehman, a fellow at the Manhattan Institute "Americans deserve to feel safe in their cities and towns. President Trump is providing decisive leadership to protect public safety and end the surrender of our great cities to disorder, homelessness, and crime," said White House spokesperson Harrison Fields. The nation has come a long way from this.  This is what Albany and Binghamton, New York looked like in the mid 1960s (on Pearl and Endicott Street, respectively). Why don't you take a stroll through there, today? See how that goes. https://t.co/E6sF7m8Hzh — ib (@Indian_Bronson) https://twitter.com/Indian_Bronson/status/1750216505055166672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw NYC. 1950s vs 2020s. https://t.co/dPAf1nt1cU — End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) https://twitter.com/EndWokeness/status/1773878810993430988?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Many inner-city communities continue to face hardships after decades of failed progressive policies that are now coming home to roost in a new era of accountability. The White House is moving forward with course-correction measures to address the decay and failed policies put forth by activist Democrats in cities. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/09/2025 - 19:15 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/chaotic-nyc-safe-injection-sites-put-notice-trump

China's Baidu To Deploy Its Self-Driving Taxis Globally Through Deals With Lyft, Uber China's Baidu To Deploy Its Self-Driving Taxis Globally Through Deals With Lyft, Uber https://www.theepochtimes.com/china/chinas-baidu-to-deploy-its-self-driving-taxis-globally-through-deals-with-lyft-uber-5897911?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge&src_src=partner&src_cmp=ZeroHedge (emphasis ours), The “Google of China,” Baidu, and U.S. ride-hailing company Lyft announced on Aug. 4 that they have reached a deal to deploy self-driving taxis in Europe next year. The plan, which is still pending regulatory approval, is to use Baidu’s electric RT6 robotaxis to operate on Lyft’s platform. The service will first launch in the UK and Germany. The two companies aim to deploy thousands of China-made vehicles across Europe in the coming years. Lyft has access to operations in nine countries and more than 180 cities in Europe, after its recent acquisition of European mobility app FreeNow. The deal with Lyft comes just weeks after Baidu signed a similar agreement with Uber. On July 15, the owners of China’s largest search engine and Uber reached a deal to deploy Baidu’s Apollo Go autonomous vehicles across Uber’s multiple global markets outside of the United States and mainland China, where Uber cannot operate after it agreed to hand over some of its intellectual property to China-based rival DiDi. “The first deployments are expected in Asia and the Middle East later this year,” Uber said in a statement. By partnering with Uber, Baidu has found a widely used platform that operates in 15,000 cities globally. “As the world’s largest platform of its kind, spanning mobility, delivery, and freight, Uber is uniquely positioned to help [autonomous vehicle] leaders like Baidu bring their autonomous technology to the world,” Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in the statement. Since 2021, Baidu has been operating its own self-driving taxi service, Apollo Go, in major Chinese cities, including Beijing. Users can hail a ride through its app. Baidu has been expanding into overseas markets rapidly this year. In May, it announced a partnership with the Roads and Transport Authority of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to launch autonomous driving services in the city. Baidu will first deploy 100 Apollo Go autonomous vehicles to the United Arab Emirates by the end of 2025—its first international deployment. It aims to expand to 1,000 vehicles by 2028. Baidu’s partnership with Lyft and Uber “aims to enhance its global brand influence and to seize opportunities to expand in the international smart mobility market to compete with American giants like Waymo and Cruise, and South Korea’s Pony.ai,” Sun Kuo-hsiang, professor of international affairs and business at Nanhua University in Taiwan, told The Epoch Times on Aug. 5. However, the entry of China-made self-driving car fleets into Europe is likely to spark political and security controversy amid the ongoing tech and trade disputes between China and Europe, and between China and the United States, Sun said. According to him, as Europe and the United States take up de-risking policies in relation to the national security risks posed by the Chinese Communist Party, “regulators in the European Union and the UK are generally cautious about Chinese companies’ involvement in data and transportation infrastructure.” “Such deployments will be subject to strict scrutiny, creating significant uncertainty regarding approval,” he said. Safety and Security Risks Baidu’s electric self-driving cars use cloud remote control, which allows for remote monitoring and direction, Sun said. “This type of functionality is considered highly risky and is not recommended in the European and American self-driving car industry, as remote intervention can pose significant risks due to network latency or exploitation,” he said. In addition, the Chinese-made self-driving vehicles are equipped with various data collection features, including facial recognition, driving history, and user app management. Sun said this has raised concerns over Beijing’s potential access to collected data. “There are concerns that personal and behavioral data may be collected by the Chinese government as required by Chinese security laws,“ Sun said. ”Chinese authorities could demand that Chinese companies hand over user data, posing a threat to personal privacy.” U.S.-based China affairs observer Wang He warned of another type of risk posed by Baidu’s electric self-driving cars. Autonomous vehicles have many sensors and “automatically capture a large number of terrain images for the unmanned driving,” he said, which may include images of sensitive areas and sensitive data in other countries. These may be transmitted back to China. Luo Ya and Reuters contributed to this report. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/09/2025 - 18:40 https://www.zerohedge.com/technology/chinas-baidu-deploy-its-self-driving-taxis-globally-through-deals-lyft-uber

Nuclear Weapons Spending Is On The Rise Nuclear Weapons Spending Is On The Rise Global spending on https://www.statista.com/topics/4269/nuclear-weapons/  increased by 11 percent in 2024 compared to the year before, surpassing $100 billion, or $190,151 every minute. https://www.statista.com/chart/32449/global-nuclear-weapon-spending-change/  by the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). More than half of this was by the United States, which spent $56.8 billion. China was the second biggest spender, accounting for $12.5 billion, followed by the United Kingdom with $10.4 billion. https://www.statista.com/chart/32449/global-nuclear-weapon-spending-change/ the countries to have seen the biggest relative increases were the United Kingdom at 26 percent, Pakistan at 18 percent and France at 13 percent. https://www.statista.com/chart/32449/global-nuclear-weapon-spending-change/ You will find more infographics at https://www.statista.com/chartoftheday/ According to ICAN, a cumulative $415.9 billion was spent by the nine countries that have developed nuclear weapons on their arsenals over the five years between 2020 and 2024. Spending has been increasing over the years, having already risen 34 percent between 2019 and 2023. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/09/2025 - 18:05 https://www.zerohedge.com/energy/nuclear-weapons-spending-rise

NeoCon Bolton: Alaska Summit A Gift To Moscow NeoCon Bolton: Alaska Summit A Gift To Moscow Somewhat to be expected, among the first to mount a full-on attack of President Trump's planned Alaska summit with Russia's President Putin set for next Friday is none other than former National Security Adviser John Bolton, who served in the first Trump admin. Also to be expected is that he railed against the summit toward finding peace in Ukraine as playing into the Kremlin's hands. He told CNN's Kailtin Collins on "The Source" in a Friday interview: "Well, it's very gracious of Putin to come to former Russian America for this summit. This is not quite as bad as Trump inviting the Taliban to Camp David to talk about the peace negotiations in Afghanistan, but it certainly reminds one of that." "The only better place for Putin than Alaska would be if the summit were being held in Moscow," Bolton said. "So, the initial setup, I think, is a great victory for Putin." And of course, ultra-hawk Bolton invoked axis of evil type language in destribing Putin: "He's a rogue leader of a pariah state, and he's going to be welcomed into the United States," Bolton added. "I don't think anybody would have objected, frankly," the former adviser said.  "I have a feeling this is sliding very quickly in Russia's direction" - he described of Putin's seeking to "take advantage" of Trump. "We're not quite back at February the 28th, in the Oval Office, when Trump told [Ukrainian President Volodymyr] Zelenskyy, 'You don't have any cards.' But what's happening is that Russia and the United States are discussing what terms they're going to present to Zelenskyy, and it may well be that Zelenskyy has no choice here," he also said. "Surrendering is always one way to get a peace deal." So there it is... the two leaders are still nearly a week out from their history-setting Alaska meeting and the narrative from both Republican and Democrat hawks is going to be 'appeasement!'.  This is the same old playbook and talking-point.  But the reality remains is that Washington https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/zelesnky-rejects-rejects-ceding-territory-after-trump-talks-land-swap-these-are-dead on Zelensky to cede territory in Eastern Ukraine (and certainly give up Crimea, for starters) if real progress toward a final settlement is to be made. Bolton dutifully gives CNN the type of simplisitc never Trump commentary its audience wants to here... Bolton: This is not quite as bad, as Trump inviting the Taliban to Camp David to talk about the peace negotiations in Afghanistan, but it certainly reminds one of that. The only better place for Putin than Alaska would be if the summit were being held in Moscow. So the initial… https://t.co/yUSn8Fyj5v — Acyn (@Acyn) https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1953993694983700573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Yet this is the very thing Zelensky is vowing to never do. He said in a Saturday video address that "Ukrainians will not gift their land to the occupier."  "Any decisions made against us, any decisions made without Ukraine, are at the same time decisions against peace." He then clarified Ukriane's position further, "They will bring nothing. These are dead decisions; they will never work." Current and former officials like Bolton will now seek to highlight Zelensky's words, and rush to his defense amid Trump pressure to make serious compromises. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/09/2025 - 16:55 https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/neocon-bolton-alaska-summit-gift-moscow

Jim Quinn Questions Tariff-Mania Jim Quinn Questions Tariff-Mania https://www.theburningplatform.com/2025/08/07/tariffmania/ Tariffs are going to Make America Great Again!!!! Our deficit problems will be cured. The national debt will decline. Our fiscal nightmare is over. Right? Trump is so excited, he can’t sleep. He’s boasting about the billions in tariff revenues at midnight. He ain’t wrong. The chart below clearly shows the massive surge in tariff revenue generated by his policies since taking office. The total tariff revenues in the 6 months since he has taken office are $120 billion, versus the $50 billion taken in those same 6 months in the prior year. Based on current trends, Trump’s tariffs could bring in close to $400 billion on an annualized basis. Not too shabby compared to the $100 billion taken in the years prior to his new tariffs. Trump isn’t bashful about hyping what he believes are outstanding achievements, like quadrupling tariff revenues and forcing those foreign countries to “pay their fair share”.  The numbers don’t lie, but a little perspective on the scale and ultimate impact of these tariffs may be helpful. The national debt is on course to increase by $1.9 trillion this fiscal year ending 9/30/25. It is up $700 billion since Trump took office. The Big Beautiful Bill didn’t cut one dime from the budget. The national debt will increase by about $2 trillion in the next fiscal year, and the one after that, and the one after that, and the one after that. You get the picture. Increased debt until economic collapse. The national debt will increase by approximately $5.5 billion per day forever, because the spending is on automatic pilot. Trump and your corrupt congress maggots have no intention of cutting any spending. A recession, war, or another fake pandemic would just drive the spending higher. So basically, the $300 billion in added tariff revenue will be frittered away by your government in less than 2 months. And if Trump goes through with his tariff rebate idea, the revenues will evaporate quicker, not that we should mind having the money in our pockets, rather than Nancy Pelosi’s and Chuck Schumer’s. I know the Trump cheerleaders and social media influencers have been ecstatic that the tariffs have not created the dreaded surge in inflation predicted by the Fed and other economic “experts”. As the chart clearly shows, the tariffs have only been in place for 4 months. Does anyone understand the inflation impact is going to lag the implementation period? Does anyone understand there are only two possibilities regarding these tariffs? – either the corporations buying the goods wholesale eat the increase and decrease their profits or they pass along the price increases to the customers. In the first case, corporate profits will decline and the stock market (at all-time highs and valuations) will likely decline significantly. In the more likely case, the corporations will pass the price increases to their customers, generating an increase in inflation and further robbing the average household of their spending power. Of course, Trump will instruct his new head of the BLS to fake the CPI number even more than it is already faked, to hide the real inflation caused by his tariffs. I think a personal anecdote I’ve experienced will show you the devious methods corporations will use to pass these tariffs along. I have been buying a pack of coated paper plates at Wal-Mart for years. The pack contained 70 paper plates. Within the last four months, the pack was reduced to 50 plates, for the same price. They know the average dolt, after years of government schooling, is deficient in math skills, so they would not realize they just experienced a 40% increase in price per plate. This will show up nowhere in the fake BLS numbers. Shrinkflation is just as bad as inflation, but they can hide it and pretend all is well, while maintaining their profits. Tariffs sounded great on the campaign trail. Foreign countries were clearly taking advantage of the U.S. through unfair trade practices. Trump’s threats and follow through on those threats have forced concessions from dozens of major trading partners. But his threatening rhetoric hasn’t worked on China, Brazil, India or the other BRIC countries, as they maneuver to replace the U.S. ruling economic empire. And now using tariffs/sanctions against Russia, China, and India to force Putin into an unacceptable peace plan with Ukraine/NATO is rhyming with FDR’s oil embargo on Japan in 1941. The unintended consequences of his actions are yet to be revealed, but ultimately these tariffs should be judged by their overall results, rather than the intentions and narratives surrounding them. Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Thu, 08/07/2025 - 18:25 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/jim-quinn-questions-tariff-mania

Think Uncle Sam Owes $37 Trillion? It's Far Worse Than That Think Uncle Sam Owes $37 Trillion? It's Far Worse Than That Via Brian McGlinchey at https://starkrealities.substack.com/p/america-37-trillion-national-debt-far-worse-unfunded-liabilities When asked how far the US government has plunged into the red, many fiscally-conscious Americans will tell you the national debt has reached https://www.usdebtclock.org/ . As distressing as that official number is, America’s true fiscal situation is even worse — far worse. According to a barely-publicized Treasury report, the actual grand total of Uncle Sam’s obligations is more than $151 trillion. That huge discrepancy springs from the fact that the federal government doesn’t hold itself to the same accounting standards it imposes on businesses. Rather than using accrual accounting — which recognizes expenses when they’re incurred — our Washington overlords self-servingly use simple cash accounting, only recognizing expenses when they’re paid. As a result, discourse on federal obligations solely focuses on the national debt, comprising Treasury bills, notes and bonds. Once a year, however, an obscure report delivers a more accurate version of Uncle Sam’s balance sheet. While it receives almost no attention from journalists or public officials, the Treasury Department is required to submit an annual report to Congress detailing the government’s financial condition. Critically, the 1994 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/31/331  mandates that it reflect “unfunded liabilities” — that is, commitments made without any dedicated assets or income streams to ensure they’ll be kept. One of the larger categories of those unfunded liabilities is future federal employee and veterans benefits. At the end of the 2024 fiscal year, this alone represented a https://www.justfacts.com/nationaldebt#_ftn44 . Stacking these and other unfunded liabilities on top of the publicly-held national debt and other obligations, you arrive at a grand total of $151.3 trillion at the end of the 2024 fiscal year. Offsetting that by an estimated $7.9 trillion in US government commercial assets — including property, plant, equipment and https://mises.org/power-market/auditing-americas-gold-not-just-important-its-critical  analysis puts Uncle Sam at an overall net-negative $143 trillion. Writing at the https://heartland.org/opinion/overlooked-treasury-report-supports-musks-warning-about-federal-deficits-sinking-the-u-s/ , Just Facts president James Agresti put that nearly-incomprehensible total in perspective: “$143 trillion amounts to 85% of the net wealth Americans have accumulated since the nation’s founding, estimated by the Federal Reserve to be $169 trillion. This includes all of their assets in savings, real estate, corporate stocks, private businesses, and even consumer durable goods like automobiles and furniture.” Those numbers reflected the government’s position on Sept 30, 2024. They’ve not only grown significantly worse in the intervening months, they’re deteriorating at a blistering pace even as you read this: Not even counting the unfunded liabilities that represent the biggest part of the problem, the national debt alone is increasing at something like https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/vendor/_accounts/JEC-R/debt/Monthly%20Debt%20Update.html . Wrangling over the budget isn’t going to save us. Congressional debates tend to center on discretionary spending — outlays that require a vote by Congress during the appropriations process. However, America’s steady march to insolvency is driven by so-called mandatory spending, which is hardwired by previously-enacted laws. In what may be the most ominous indication that the government is on an autopilot-course for catastrophe, the proportion of total federal outlays driven by mandatory spending has more than doubled since 1965 — from 34% to 73% in 2024. It was at 71% just two years earlier, in 2022. The two largest examples of mandatory spending are Social Security and Medicare. Those old-age programs are now well within sight of a crisis that’s been warned about for a generation: According to the latest report from their program trustees, Social Security and Medicare trust funds are now just seven years from insolvency. While the federal government requires private-sector pension plans to maintain assets equal to the present value of future obligations, the federal government exempts itself from providing the same security to the citizens that it forces into the Social Security program. Contrary to the mythology that payroll taxes are placed in individual “accounts” held for our future benefit, that money is immediately being dished out to other people who’ve already reached the benefit-receiving phase — which is why Social Security can be reasonably compared to a Ponzi scheme. Because the ratio of taxpaying-workers to beneficiaries is in steady decline — from https://starkrealities.substack.com/p/social-security-steams-closer-to  in payouts. While that represents a political time bomb, don’t expect any urgency in defusing it. The eight-year countdown is short, but it’s still outside the next-election framing that drives elected officials’ actions. Those politicians know that anyone proposing a long-overdue rethinking of Social Security and Medicare will be opportunistically accused of “attacking” the programs. However, when the crisis is finally in their laps, don’t be surprised if part of their solution is to borrow money to prop up the payouts. There’s another key component of mandatory spending that isn’t counted in the national debt: interest payments on debt issued to cover past and current spending. “In total, social programs and interest on the national debt—which mainly stems from social programs—account for 75% of all federal spending,” notes Agresti. Interest payments also represent a steadily growing share of total outlays, and will total almost $1 trillion this year. Within 10 years, interest is projected to reach $2 trillion, roughly equal to the entire 2025 deficit. Last year saw a grim milestone, as interest expense surpassed spending on both defense and Medicare. Current projections have interest surpassing Social Security to become the largest single expenditure by 2042, but don’t be surprised if that milestone doesn’t come sooner. The government is already descending into a vicious cycle in which mounting US debt has the buyers of that debt demanding higher interest rates in compensation for the growing risk of inflation and/or default — with those higher rates creating larger interest payouts and even more debt. Beyond mandatory-vs-discretionary, and funded-vs-unfunded, there’s an even more important but far-less-discussed classification of spending that goes to the very heart of America’s march toward financial disaster: constitutional vs unconstitutional. As I noted in the https://starkrealities.substack.com/p/americans-are-fighting-for-control  at Stark Realities, “Americans Are Fighting For Control Of Federal Powers That Shouldn’t Exist”: Today’s sprawling federal government, which involves itself in almost every aspect of daily American life, is almost entirely unconstitutional. To rattle off just a random fistful of the federal government’s unauthorized undertakings and entities — brace yourself — there is zero constitutional authority for the Social Security, Medicare, federal drug prohibitions, the Small Business Administration, crop subsidies, the Department of Labor, automotive fuel efficiency standards, climate regulations, the Federal Reserve, union regulation, housing subsidies, the Department of Agriculture, workplace regulations, the Department of Education, federal student loans, the Food and Drug Administration, food stamps, unemployment insurance or light bulb regulations. Even that sampling doesn’t begin to fully account for the scope of the unsanctioned activity. This Pandora’s box of unconstitutional endeavors was opened wide by unconscionably expansive https://starkrealities.substack.com/p/americans-are-fighting-for-control  by 2024. Now we find the federal government in a $143 trillion hole, a burden that comes out to https://heartland.org/opinion/overlooked-treasury-report-supports-musks-warning-about-federal-deficits-sinking-the-u-s/  out of thin air to make debt payments.  with David Lin. “They [won’t] default — they’re always going to pay something for the Treasury bills. What they’re going to do is liquidate the debt by paying it off with counterfeit money.” While the Fed-Treasury money creation scheme has been with us for a long time, the alarming trajectory of federal debt and spending point to future money-printing on a scale that will trigger hyperinflation and economic collapse. At that point, Americans will stand at a crossroads. Desperation and fear will make them susceptible to the siren song of even more authoritarianism and unconstitutional, centralized command of the economy and society than what put them in such dire straits to begin with. “People will want to be taken care of,” Paul said. “I see it as an opportunity. If people are promoting the cause of liberty and there’s chaos in the streets, we better get out there and lead the charge and say you don’t need more of what caused this. You don’t need more authoritarianism. What you need is more liberty and more peace, and that means you ought to obey the Constitution.” https://starkrealities.substack.com/ : Invigoratingly Unorthodox Perspectives For Intellectually Honest Readers  https://starkrealities.substack.com/ and join thousands of free subscribers who benefit from monthly, ad-free insights   * * * Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ZeroHedge https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Sat, 08/02/2025 - 21:00 https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/think-uncle-sam-owes-37-trillion-its-far-worse

State Department Sanctions Palestinian Authority Officials, PLO Members State Department Sanctions Palestinian Authority Officials, PLO Members https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/state-department-sanctions-palestinian-authority-officials-plo-members-5894808?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=ZeroHedge The State Department on Thursday imposed sanctions on Palestinian Authority (PA) officials and members of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). This comes as U.S. officials arrived in Israel to hold further cease-fire talks. “It is in our national security interests to impose consequences and hold the PLO and PA accountable for not complying with their commitments and undermining the prospects for peace,” a State Department spokesperson https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2025/07/sanctioning-officials-of-the-palestinian-authority-and-members-of-the-palestine-liberation-organization/ in a statement. The department further said that the PA and PLO aren’t “in compliance with their commitments under the PLO Commitments Compliance https://irp.fas.org/congress/1989_cr/s890412-plo.htm of 2002, because they have taken “actions to internationalize its conflict with Israel, such as through the International Criminal Court [ICC],” and other means. The statement also accused both organizations of “continuing to support terrorism, including incitement and glorification of violence (especially in textbooks),” and “providing payments and benefits in support of terrorism to Palestinian terrorists and their families.” The sanctions come as special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Thursday in a bid to save the Gaza cease-fire talks and tackle a humanitarian crisis in the Palestinian enclave. Israel faces growing world pressure over the war in Gaza, and several Western powers have said they will https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/with-france-uk-moving-to-recognize-palestinian-statehood-will-canada-follow-5893958 a Palestinian state. In the statement, the State Department did not say what individuals associated with the PLO or PA would face sanctions. Earlier in July, the State Department announced it had placed sanctions on Francesca Albanese, the United Nations special rapporteur on human rights in the area, over efforts to have the ICC act against the United States and Israel, along with officials, executives, and companies. “Albanese’s campaign of political and economic warfare against the United States and Israel will no longer be tolerated,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on July 9 in a https://x.com/SecRubio/status/1942998936874054046 on X. Last year, the ICC issued arrest warrants against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity during the Gaza conflict. In a https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114947563324977082 on Truth Social, President Donald Trump wrote that the nearly two-year Israel–Hamas conflict could be ended if Hamas surrenders and releases the remaining hostages the terrorist group took during its October 2023 attack on Israel. “The fastest way to end the Humanitarian Crises in Gaza is for Hamas to SURRENDER AND RELEASE THE HOSTAGES!!!” Trump wrote, referring to international concerns over reports of mass starvation in Gaza. The president has https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/1950346054584402074 that he was impacted by watching footage of starving children in Gaza, telling reporters during his visit to Scotland this week that “there’s nothing you can say other than it’s terrible when you see the kids,” adding in another interview that the United States would set up food centers in the area. It comes as the top leaders in Canada, the United Kingdom, and France have said they would recognize a Palestinian state separate from Israel. On Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a https://www.pm.gc.ca/en/news/statements/2025/07/30/statement-prime-minister-carney-canadas-recognition-palestinian-state that the country would recognize a Palestinian state in September at the U.N. General Assembly. The Israeli Foreign Ministry https://x.com/IsraelMFA/status/1950674484286960032 Canada’s move in a post on Wednesday, saying it would boost Hamas. Trump also https://www.theepochtimes.com/us/trump-says-canadas-backing-of-palestinian-statehood-threatens-us-trade-deal-5894761 that the move could make it difficult for the United States and Canada to reach a tariff agreement. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Thu, 07/31/2025 - 19:15 https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/state-department-sanctions-palestinian-authority-officials-plo-members

Smoking Gun: Declassified Durham Appendix Confirms Hillary Clinton Plan To Smear Trump, Use FBI 'To Put More Oil On The Fire' Smoking Gun: Declassified Durham Appendix Confirms Hillary Clinton Plan To Smear Trump, Use FBI 'To Put More Oil On The Fire' On Thursday, newly declassified documents reveal that not only did the CIA believe a Russian intelligence assessment that the 2016 Hillary Clinton campaign planned to smear Donald Trump by linking him to the Kremlin, it's clear that the FBI helped the Clinton campaign orchestrate the Russia hoax to distract from its investigation into her emails. To review: Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard earlier this month declassified several documents - including a 2020 House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence (HPSCI) report and other intelligence communications revealing that the Obama administration "manufactured and politicized intelligence" to create a false narrative that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to help Trump defeat Hillary Clinton.  Gabbard’s releases highlight the inclusion of the Steele dossier - an unverified report funded by the Clinton campaign alleging ties between Trump and Russia - in the 2017 ICA as an annex. The hoax dossier was used to bolster the Russian interference narrative, despite CIA objections and its discredited status. The HPSCI report states that Brennan insisted on referencing the dossier, even though senior CIA officers warned it was flawed, with Brennan allegedly saying, “doesn’t it ring true? Gabbard has called these actions a “treasonous conspiracy” led by Obama, Brennan, Clapper, James Comey, Susan Rice, and others, aimed at undermining Trump’s presidency. She has referred the documents to the Justice Department and FBI for investigation into potential criminal implications. And now we have the Durham annex... which includes a 2016 memorandum alleging that Russian intelligence knew of a Clinton campaign plan to tie Trump to Russian hackers. This memo claims the plan was designed to “distract the [American] public from the Clinton email server scandal.” Gabbard’s HPSCI report similarly references Russian intelligence claiming Clinton’s campaign discussed linking Putin to Trump. Clinton’s Approval of Smear Campaign: Pages 4 and 5 of the annex, highlighted in X posts, contain a 2016 memorandum alleging that Clinton personally approved a plan on July 26, 2016, to frame Trump with Russian hacking claims. The memo suggests this was to distract from her email scandal, with coordination involving DNC leadership and outside groups. Russian Intelligence Awareness: The annex confirms that Russian intelligence was aware of this plan, which aligns with Gabbard’s claim that the FBI and CIA had access to this information but pursued the Trump-Russia narrative anyway. No New Criminal Charges: Despite these allegations, Durham’s broader investigation (2019–2023) found no evidence of a criminal conspiracy among Obama officials to fabricate intelligence. He criticized the FBI’s handling of the Steele dossier and Crossfire Hurricane but did not charge Brennan, Clapper, or others named by Gabbard. As ZH regular https://technofog.substack.com/p/released-the-durham-classified-appendix  notes; To briefly summarize, the Classified Appendix provided further information about the matters covered in parts of Durham’s report – specifically, those relating to Hillary Clinton’s plan to link Trump and Russia; the threat of foreign influence by a foreign government; and the Carter Page FISA application renewals. But the most material information covers the Clinton Plan, and provides further details on how that plan started, efforts by Clinton and her team to influence officials within the Obama Administration, and how the Clinton Campaign would use Crowdstrike to further their theory that the Russians hacked and leaked information from the Democratic National Convention (DNC) and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC). The Smoking Gun(s)...  🚨SMOKING GUN: The declassified Durham Annex confirms Hillary Clinton personally approved the plan to frame Trump with Russian hacking US election claims — to “distract from her missing emails” and “demonize Trump.” “Later, the FBI will put more oil on the fire.” https://t.co/Sksq6nRdh0 — Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) https://twitter.com/bennyjohnson/status/1950940242401280278?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw And as Michael Shellenberger notes, the CIA believed Russian memos mentioning a Clinton plan to smear Trump as a Russian asset: "The CIA prepared a written assessment of the authenticity and veracity of the above-mentioned intelligence. The CIA stated that it did not assess that the above [redacted] memoranda or [redacted] hacked U.S. communications, to be the product of Russian fabrications." The newly declassified appendix to the Durham report is game-changing. It showed that the CIA believed Russian intelligence memos, which analyzed hacked emails and alleged a Clinton Plan to vilify Trump by linking him to Russia, were credible. "The CIA prepared a written… https://t.co/OoeRrcNCZe — Michael Shellenberger (@shellenberger) https://twitter.com/shellenberger/status/1950945043553894417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw What's more, other memos reveal that the plan was to have Crowdstrike and 'ThreatConnect' spin narratives to the media in the absence of actual evidence of Trump-Russia collusion. Regarding proving-up the DNC/DCCC hack and leak - "In absence of direct evidence, Crowdstrike and ThreatConnect will supply the media" with info. Crowdstrike will feed the info to the FBI and then the info "would then be disseminated through leading US publications." https://t.co/zT7T4REqIt — Techno Fog (@Techno_Fog) https://twitter.com/Techno_Fog/status/1950925882991706260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Stay tuned, things are getting spicier...  https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Thu, 07/31/2025 - 13:40 https://www.zerohedge.com/political/smoking-gun-declassified-durham-appendix-confirms-hillary-clinton-plan-smear-trump-use

Musk Says Tesla Shareholders Will Vote On Investment In xAI At November Meeting Musk Says Tesla Shareholders Will Vote On Investment In xAI At November Meeting Elon Musk is urging Tesla shareholders to approve an investment in his AI startup, xAI, marking a move to bring his latest venture under the umbrella of his cash-rich EV company, according to https://fortune.com/2025/07/14/elon-musk-promises-tesla-shareholders-vote-buying-equity-grok-startup-xai/ . “If it was up to me, Tesla would have invested in xAI long ago,” Musk posted Sunday. “We will have a shareholder vote on the matter.” That vote is expected at Tesla’s long-delayed annual meeting, now set for November. Musk’s push comes as xAI ramps up spending to compete with OpenAI and Anthropic in the race for artificial general intelligence (AGI). Last week, Musk unveiled the fourth version of xAI’s chatbot, Grok, now being integrated into Tesla vehicles. Tesla isn’t the first of Musk’s ventures to back xAI. Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal reported that SpaceX, another Musk-led company, invested $2 billion into xAI, despite limited commercial synergy. Sources said Grok is only used for minor customer support functions at Starlink. Musk appeared to confirm the report. Musk has floated a Tesla investment in xAI for months. In July, following Tesla’s previous annual meeting, he ran a social media poll asking if Tesla should invest $5 billion “assuming the valuation is set by several credible outside investors.” About two-thirds of nearly a million respondents agreed. Musk then pledged to bring the idea to Tesla’s board. xAI’s path to AGI is proving costly. Bloomberg estimates the startup, founded in 2023, could burn through $13 billion this year. Musk dismissed the report as “nonsense” but didn’t elaborate. Two weeks later, xAI raised $10 billion—half of it through debt, a rare move for a high-growth tech startup. Morgan Stanley reportedly helped facilitate the raise, with SpaceX’s $2 billion investment included. Grok also sparked controversy last week by posting antisemitic content on X, likening itself to “a mechanized version of Adolf Hitler.” Following the backlash, X CEO Linda Yaccarino resigned. xAI later apologized: “We deeply apologize for the horrific behavior that many experienced.” Tesla’s last high-profile deal involving a Musk-led company was the 2016 SolarCity acquisition for $2.6 billion—criticized as a bailout but ultimately upheld by Delaware courts. “We believe Tesla making a big investment in xAI is a key step forward,” Wedbush analyst Dan Ives wrote on Monday. https://cms.zerohedge.com/users/tyler-durden Mon, 07/14/2025 - 10:10 https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/musk-says-tesla-shareholders-will-vote-investment-xai-november-meeting